their example; one of the seamen promising to sleep with
one eye open, so as to be on the watch, though it was the opinion of all
that the natives were a quiet sort of people, who would do them no harm.
There was no moon; but the sky was clear, and the bright stars which
glittered forth from it in countless numbers, in that pure atmosphere,
afforded sufficient light to enable objects to be visible at a little
distance.

Ben had slept for some time, he fancied, when he was awakened by feeling
a hand placed on his arm.

"Hist, youngster! don't lie sleeping there," whispered a voice in his
ear. "Rouse up the other Englishmen. Get on board the canoe, and be
off, or you'll all be murdered. Never mind the natives with you. If
you wake them up, there'll be a noise, and the people of the place will
be down on them. Don't speak above a whisper, whatever you do. The
people are not far off, and I found it a hard job to steal away."

Ben at once comprehended that some danger was threatened. He sat up,
and saw the stranger white man standing over him.

"Leave our Christian friends! No, we will never do that," he answered.
"I will go and arouse them, while you can awake my shipmates; and,
whoever you are, you must come with us."

"Well, well, I'll do as you wish," answered the white man; "only be
sharp, and tell the people to creep along over the ground, so as not to
be seen at a distance. We must climb into the canoe, and shove off
without any noise, or they will be down on us before we can get clear of
the reefs."

Without wasting more time on words, Ben crept off to where Marco was
sleeping; he had fortunately noted the place. Awaking him, he told him
of the warning he had received, and Marco quickly aroused the rest of
his party.

It was with difficulty that the seamen could be prevented from speaking
when called; in a couple of minutes, however, the whole party were
creeping down towards the canoe, which lay afloat alongside some rocks
running into the water. They were all quickly on board, followed by the
young Englishman--for such it was supposed the white man was, by his
language.

"Shove off, sir!" he whispered to Mr Manners, who had only then been
aroused. "No time to lose. I will go to the helm."

The advice was instantly followed; the warps were cast off, the paddles
got out, and the canoe began slowly to glide out from among the rocks.
Scarcely, however, had she begun to move than loud shouts were